TCEQ advises Crystal City residents to boil water as precaution

Caution continues in wake of black water from faucets

CRYSTAL CITY – The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is advising Crystal City residents to continue to boil their water as a precaution and not drink any discolored water.

Some residents began reporting black water flowing from their faucets Wednesday night. The city says it's sediment that was flushed into distribution lines when they drained the water tower.

The city began flushing the sediment out of the system by opening fire hydrants that night.

By Friday morning the city said the water was safe, and TCEQ reported the water samples it tested Thursday were compliant with regulations. However residents were still reluctant to drink the water, and some still reported discoloration problems, a city employee said.

TCEQ's boil advisory came out Friday evening.

City Water/Wasterwater Superintendent Carlos Ramirez said Friday afternoon he was taking four bacteriological samples from each corner of town to be tested. The TCEQ says it will review those results once the lab analysis is done.

It will also "conduct water sampling for a full suite review of the city's primary and secondary standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act."

In the meantime, residents have other choices of water.

SAWS sent several pallets of bottled water and a 5,000-gallon tanker down Friday afternoon.
 
"Well, we're going to reach out to the community. It's going out today, and it's going to be out there until we meet the needs of the community, and if they continue to need help thereafter we'll be more than happy to assist them," said SAWS Communications & External Affairs Vice President Gavino Ramos.

They aren't the only ones lending a hand. The San Antonio Food Bank sent down 20 pallets of bottled water Thursday, and another 40 Friday.

"For us here at the Food Bank, we've actually shipped several truck loads of water that we've had in inventory specifically for this reason," said Eric Cooper, the Food Bank's CEO and President. "We know that when a disaster hits, water is the No.-1-needed item."

Other water sources included the nearby city of Carrizo Springs, which brought bottled water.

Crystal City employees spent the day distributing bottled water to the elderly, too.


About the Author:

Garrett Brnger is a reporter with KSAT 12.